


The Sum of Its Parts

by iolanthe_rosa



Category: Lord of the Rings RPF
Genre: Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2003-03-04
Updated: 2003-03-04
Packaged: 2017-11-19 11:04:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,724
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/572575
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/iolanthe_rosa/pseuds/iolanthe_rosa
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sometimes the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Sum of Its Parts

Elijah just barely tolerated the hour Dom spent each morning doing yoga because Dom did not allow him to play his music or chatter like a geek until he was done. He acquiesced only because of the erotic charge he got from watching some of the positions Dom managed to get himself into.  
  
This morning, Dom began as usual with Sun Salutation, but surprised Elijah by suddenly stopping and going outside to watch the hummingbirds at the feeder. Dom delighted in the hummingbirds. Elijah had never really noticed them before, native Californian that he was. Dom once said that hummingbirds reminded him of Elijah - all quickness and buzzing energy and bright beauty that took one's breath away.  
  
Elijah loved that side of Dom, the part that saw things he did not, or saw them differently. And, of course, he loved the part that made sentimental little comments like that, too.  
  
But after five minutes, Dom wandered back into the house and started thumbing mindlessly through the newspaper, even though he claimed to have given up on American newspapers. "Bad news in front. No Manchester United in back. What's the point, I ask you?"  
  
This restlessness was not like Dom. Elijah was just about to ask him if everything was okay, was he homesick, did he feel alright, could he kiss him somewhere, anywhere, when the phone rang. Dom and Elijah usually screened their calls now. Half the time it was some publicist with the unpleasant instructions of the day. But this time Elijah automatically picked up the receiver, force of habit trumping self-preservation.  
  
"Hello?"  
  
"Hello. This is Francie from Dr. Rogan's office. I'm calling to confirm Mr. Monaghan's appointment for 11:00 today."  
  
Moan-a-gan, she pronounced it. It bothered Elijah much more than it did Dom when people mispronounced his name. Dom was used to it, but Elijah took it as a personal insult every time it happened.  
  
"Monaghan," he corrected her, automatically. Dom looked up sharply.  
  
"Oh, Monaghan," she repeated. "Sorry."  
  
It was only after he hung up that the curiosity struck him. "Dom, why do you have a doctor's appointment at 11:00? Who's Dr. Rogan?"  
  
"Oh." Dom stopped, at an unprecedented loss for words. "It's nothing."  
  
"What do you mean, 'nothing'?" Elijah asked, eyes narrowing. "You've been behaving strangely all morning. What is it? Why won't you tell me?"  
  
"It's personal, Lij. It's nothing to worry about. I just don't want to talk about it."  
  
"It's *personal*? What am I, your garbage collector? Jesus, Dom, if something's wrong with you, I need to know!" Elijah was getting irritated - and a little worried.  
  
"There's nothing wrong with me! I told you: you don't need to worry."  
  
"Okay," Elijah said, turning to the desk. I'm going to figure this out myself if you won't tell me." He grabbed the Yellow Pages. "Because right now, without further information, I'm thinking brain tumor, cancer, heart condition..." his voice trailed off as he found what he was looking for. He looked up, a question mark in his eyes.  
  
"There are two Dr. Rogans listed here. One's an obstetrician and one's a dermatologist."  
  
A long pause.  
  
"Dom, are you pregnant?"  
  
Dom burst out laughing at the unexpected question. Elijah laughed too and sat down next to Dom on the sofa. The tension was broken, and they both relaxed a little.  
  
Dom made a decision. Taking a deep breath, he said, "Okay, Lij. Here's what it is. I'm going to the dermatologist. I'm going to have this mole on my neck removed."  
  
"What mole?" Elijah asked  
  
"This one." Dom touched a small dark spot halfway down the right side of his neck. Elijah's mouth fell open.  
  
"That's not a mole: that's a freckle - *the* freckle. *My* freckle!"  
  
"It's a mole!" Dom answered back. "See how it's raised up a little bit?"  
  
"No! That's a freckle and I *love* that freckle! What the hell do you think you're doing even *thinking* about having it removed?" Elijah was back on his feet, outraged.  
  
"I knew you'd react like this," Dom said. "That's why I tried to keep it secret." He paused to gather his thoughts. "It's always kind of bothered me, you know. It gets snagged on stuff, and sometimes I cut it shaving. And it's no good having moles like this anyway - I'm sure it'll turn bad on me one day, skin cancer and all that. And...well..."  
  
Elijah sat back down and waited for Dom to complete his sentence. He sensed from Dom's hesitation that he was about to hear the real story at last.  
  
"Well, you know," Dom said reluctantly, "I have so much funny stuff - my ears stick out and my nose is too big and my mouth is crooked." He sighed. "I just thought it would be nice to actually be able to fix one of those things. Ten minutes with the dermatologist and it'll be gone."  
  
Elijah absorbed this. He was aware that some people did not perceive Dom to be the mouth wateringly gorgeous thick rich essence of sexiness that he believed him to be. But he just dismissed those people for the idiots they obviously were. It had never occurred to him that maybe Dom was insecure about his looks.  
  
But then, Elijah thought, he often considered *himself* to be funny looking, a short guy with bulging eyes and glowing white skin like some weird irradiated Japanese anime character brought to life. And that despite the fact that people told him a hundred times a day how good looking he was. Dom did not get a lot of compliments about his looks. Maybe he really did think he was funny looking.  
  
Elijah reached out to touch Dom's face gently with his fingertips. "My god, Dom. You're so beautiful. How could you think that you're not?"  
  
"Well, you have to say that, don't you?" Dom said, defensively.  
  
"I'm not just saying it, you idiot. I've thought it since the very first day I met you! Since the very first minute - hell, the very first second!"  
  
"But my ears, my nose - come on," Dom argued, unconvinced.  
  
Elijah gathered his thoughts. He knew he needed to choose his words carefully. "You know that expression, 'the whole is greater than the sum of its parts?' Well, that's you. Okay, taken separately, maybe your ears do stick out, and your nose is kind of funny and all that. But put them all together, and they're Dom - and *he's* gorgeous."  
  
Dom sighed. "It's just a mole, Lijah. Let me do it."  
  
"It's not a mole. It's a freckle, and a very special one at that. It's part of my gorgeous Dom. It stays."  
  
Dom stood up. "I have to go or I'll be late for the appointment." He wanted to make it clear to Elijah that he was not going to let himself be dissuaded.  
  
Elijah suddenly had an idea. "Can I at least come with you? To say good-bye to it?" he said, almost eagerly.  
  
Dom was surprised at this turn of events. It was not like Elijah to give up so easily. "Sure. I guess."  
  
"Great. Let me just make a quick phone call, then we can go." Elijah walked back to the desk, picked up the Yellow Pages, and started thumbing through them. A minute later he was dialing the phone. Dom watched him with interest.  
  
"Hi, I'd like to make an appointment to see Dr. Barton. No, I haven't seen him before. I need to get my teeth fixed." A silence. "Yeah, there's a gap in the front. I want to get rid of it. It looks...funny." He locked eyes with Dom as he spoke the last word. "Last name, Wood. Okay, that works. I'll see you Monday." He hung up and walked to the door. "Okay, let's go."  
  
Dom grabbed him by the shoulders. "Did you really make that appointment or were you just fooling?"  
  
"Really made it."  
  
"Well, cancel it."  
  
"I'll cancel mine if you'll cancel yours." Elijah folded his arms and rocked back on his heels, a look of stubborn determination in his eyes. He could not help feeling smugly satisfied at having beaten Dom at his own game.  
  
That was why he was so surprised to find himself, a moment later, flat on the floor with Dom straddled across his chest. "You wanker!" Dom cried, "I can't believe you did that. You wouldn't go through with it, would you?"  
  
"Of course I would," and he meant it. If this was going to be a battle of the wills, he knew he could out-stubborn anyone, even Dom. He had not survived, unscathed, a lifetime as a child actor by being a pushover. And he had nothing to lose; casting agents had been after him for years to get his teeth fixed.  
  
Now Dom's mouth was on his. Elijah felt his resolve ebb, just a bit. With Dom's tongue in his mouth, it was difficult to hold onto more than one thought at time, and right now that thought was, "Mmmm. Dom's tongue."  
  
"I love this little gap," Dom murmured into Elijah's mouth, his tongue flicking enticingly into the small space. "I would miss it so much."  
  
That reminded Elijah of the issue at hand, and he quickly pulled his mouth away from Dom's and lowered his lips to Dom's neck. "Well, that's just I how I feel about this freckle," he whispered, as he nibbled the warm spot in question.  
  
"It's a mole."  
  
"Whatever."  
  
Silence fell as the two kissed, doctor's appointment forgotten. Dom took a leisurely inventory of Elijah's mouth, with an occasional break so Elijah could complete his own tour of the best locations on Dom's neck.  
  
After several breathless moments, Elijah stopped. Dom looked up to see what was the matter. Elijah stared seriously into Dom's blue-gray eyes. "You are gorgeous, you know. Don't ever think you're not."  
  
Dom returned Elijah's gaze and let out a long breath. "Okay, I'll keep the mole." He was rewarded with a deep kiss that left him feeling a little dizzy. He fought to collect his thoughts.  
  
"You know, Lijah, that thing you said made a lot of sense. Sometimes when you put it all together, the whole *is* greater than the sum of its parts."  
  
"Like your nose and ears?" Elijah asked with a smile.  
  
"No. Like you and me."


End file.
